The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-02-10
Virginia Progress.

Richmond State, has the following refer
ence to the recent report of Col. Switzler
Of the Statistical Department of th
! government
Hon. w f. SWitzler, chief of Bureau
of Statistics, has issued very interesting
official document of about eight hundret
pages, containing valuable and comprehen
sive information concerning the CONNER
cial, industrial, transportation and othel
interests of the Southern States. It cor
| stitutes part second of the report on com
merce and navigation and the facts have
been gathered with much care.
A synopsis relating to Virginia is fourd
in the first portion of the volume in which
Col. Switzler gives due credit to Gen. J. D
Imboden, of Richmond, who has furnished
most elaborate report on the resources Of
Virginia.
| Special at tention is called to the fact
that during the first nine months of 1856
there were established in Virginia 1888 new
manufacturing establishments with cap
ital of $13, 500, 600.
Col. Switzler mentions also that valua.
bic paper viii be found i'll the report from
Mr.. r. A. Brock for the commercial Or
CARNATIONS of Richmond.
| In $780, the report goes on to show. the
State of Virginia produced 29,934 tons of
coke pig-iron. In 1884 there were pro-
duced in the coke furnaces Of Virginia
| 157.453 tons of pig iron. an increase of
over 400 per cent, and the largest increase
made by any Southern State during that
| time.
| The work also contains an Instructive
grouping of the counties Of Virginia in
natural grand divisions, with their areas
and population. in which connection the
geological formations and soils of the
State are discussed. The number Of farms
| in the State in 1860 was 81, 1883; in 1880,
| the number had increased to 1857, thus
showing that the large estates of the old
planters had been sub-divided into smaller
holdings.
The manufacturing, agricultural, min
| eral and other resources of the State are
treated in detail, presenting mas of ex-
cellent information. As a supplement to
the discussion Of the extensive railway In.
terests Of the State, the report closes with
interesting information in regard to the
| harbors Of Virginia, in connection with
which an able report illustrated by map
appended) is presented from the pen OF
Col. Frank G. Ruffin, on the subject OF
deepening the channel of James river
! Col. Ruf1in's paper on this subject, which
was adopted by the City Council of Rich
mond. is given in full. Among others who
figure in the work as contributors of infor-
nation regarding Virginia, in addition to
those already named, are Marshall Parks,
president Chesapeake and Albemarle Ca
nal John II. Wright, Of Suffolk and 9th
/ ers.
Much space is taken up in calling atten-
/ tion to the wonderful growth of grape
culture and wine making in Virginia, and
a special point is made that ten years ago
wine-making in this State, was insignifi.
cant, but now this business is very large
/ ssud Is GiOWluS caCH JtstI. OHly dDOut OHo'
fifth of the Virginia wine is consumed at
home, the balance being shipped to the
leading cities of the country where ii
finds quick sale.
The Bureau Of Statistics has been more
than year collecting the information that
is to be found in the excellent and ex-
haLstive report just issued. 1t is reliable
information, too, and no attempt is made
to oyerdo the thing. The report will
doubtless be perused with general interest
and the world will discover that the
South has been making gigantic strides in
manufactures and development of her min.
eral resources, with every indication that
this progress will continue until that sec
ton, SO recently devastated by war, will
prosper and grow in greatness until the
people Of the South will be the equals in
prosperity with the North.
| The R1Uefin unfinished at Columhia